Ranchers use fences and gates to limit or control the movement of livestock. Fences may vary in height and design depending on the livestock intended to be controlled. For example, fences intended for use controlling pigs may have a lower height than those intended for use with horses as the pigs are commonly smaller animals than the horses. In some cases, smaller livestock, such as goats, may be able to jump over a fence considerably taller than the livestock and warrant a taller fence to control their movement. In other cases, a fence may need to be reinforced against the mass and strength of the livestock who might push against or lean upon the fence such as a fence intended for use with cattle.
Cattle walk the perimeter of a ranch fence and seek gaps in the fence. A cattle fence may be relatively high and strong due to the size and strength of the cattle, while also having openings through the fence sufficiently small to prevent the movement of calves through the fence and beyond the limits of the intended grazing land. Particularly, a calf passing beyond a fence may incite a mother cow to pursue the calf and injure itself, damage the fence, or both. Many fences intended for use in controlling the movement of cattle, therefore, may be relatively high, strong, and have relatively small openings therethrough.
The land on which cattle graze may be very large, with some ranches in excess of a hundreds of thousands of acres. A perimeter fence of ranches, and particularly a large ranch, often crosses many natural game trails and can interfere with the travel of wildlife, such as elk, deer, antelope, and predators that prey upon them. Wildlife will resist deviating from their historic trails and, instead, will try to cross the fences. Wildlife crossing the fences leads to damage to the fences and injuries to the wildlife. Additionally, if the wildlife is unable to cross the fence, the deviation from the game trail affects the wildlife's movement and, therefore, migration patterns, feeding, and overall health.
Damage to fences by both livestock and wildlife requires constant monitoring and repair of the fences of the fence line by ranchers. The fence line is monitored by physically inspecting the fence line, traditionally on horseback or other means of travel, for many hours per day. A fence that is resistant to damage by both livestock and wildlife that may prevent passage of livestock while permitting passage of wildlife is therefore desirable.